The present disclosure relates to a continuous feed printing system that integrates one or more printing system modules. A continuous feed (CF) printing system prints on a band or roll of paper as opposed to a sheet printing system that prints on discrete sheets of media. FIG. 1 illustrates a continuous feed printing system that incorporates a media roll input 2, media roll input adapter 4, multiple printing modules 6, 8,10, and 12, a media output adapter 14 and a media roll output 16. The media roll input 2 unwinds in a clockwise direction as the web of paper 18 is fed by the input adapter 4 to a first printing module 6. The paper web 18 continues to proceed through a second 8, third 10 and fourth 12 printing modules. The web 18 continues to be processed through the output adapter 14 which feeds the paper web onto an output roll 16. Any paper cutting required is performed external to the CF printing system illustrated in FIG. 1. Other variations of a CF printing system are available, such as the printing system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,149, issued to Lomoine et al.
Integrated sheet printing systems, such as the system illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, serve as platforms for entry level production printing with minimal investment. Integrated systems typically use two or more marking engines 20, 22, and 24 which are modular in design and construction. The marking engines are integrated with a sheet feeder module 26 and a finisher module 28 by way of an integrated track to route individual cut sheets of media from the sheet feeder module 26 to one or more marking engines 20, 22, and 24 for marking. After all marking has been completed the integrated track routes the printed media to the finisher module 28. Cost benefits of this printing system are related to the modularity of the modules used. For example, the marking engines can be configured to include black only, color, custom color and/or monochrome, thereby enabling a user to print a document in the most cost effective manner. In addition, the modules can be removed for service or placement in another printing system relatively easily. One disadvantage of a cut sheet printing system is the necessity to handle media sheets as the production throughput requirements are increased. This increase in media sheet handling capability increases the costs and complexity associated with the cut sheet printing system. This added complexity can contribute to a reduction in the overall reliability of the printing system.
The CF format is advantageous for offset print applications because of its media handling ability. One web of media is processed through a print system from the media roll input to the media roll output. The CF format is very reliable because the web is processed through the printing system as one media sheet. However, conventional CF printing systems can require a sizable investment and do not provide the modularity of an integrated cut sheet printing system as described with reference with FIG. 2. In addition, the web or process speed is dependant on the speed of the marking engine(s) process speed. This limit in web speed is driven by the need for a non-slip interface at the image transfer point of the printing system.
This disclosure provides a modular CF printing system to enable a higher web process speed relative to the CF printing system described with reference to FIG. 1.